ROGERS MEDIA 2012 ANNUAL REPORT ON DIVERSITY January 31, 2013
Rogers Media Inc. Page 1 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
INTRODUCTION
Rogers Media is Canada's premier collection of media assets with businesses in television and radio broadcasting, televised shopping, publishing, sports entertainment and digital media. The Rogers Media broadcasting group includes:
• Five multicultural television stations which form part of OMNI Television (CHNM-TV Vancouver, CJCO-TV Calgary, CJEO-TV Edmonton, CFMT-TV Toronto and CJMT-TV Toronto); • Seven City conventional stations across Canada (CKVU-TV Vancouver, CKAL-TV Calgary, CKEM-TV Edmonton, SCSN-TV Saskatchewan, CHMI-TV Winnipeg, CITY-TV Toronto and recently acquired CJNT-TV Montreal); • Eight specialty services (The Biography Channel, G4, Outdoor Life Network, Rogers Sportsnet, Rogers Sportsnet One, Sportsnet World, CityNews Toronto and FX Canada); • 37.5% ownership interest in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., licence holder of Leafs TV, Gol TV and NBA TV Canada; • 55 radio stations across Canada (47 FM and eight AM); and • The Shopping Channel, Canada’s only 24-hour broadcast shopping service.
We are pleased to submit our 2012 Annual Report on Diversity in compliance with the reporting requirements established by the Commission in Broadcasting Public Notices CRTC 2005-24 (Commission's response to the report of the Task Force for Cultural Diversity on Television) and 2007-122 (Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Best Practices for Diversity in Private Radio).
At Rogers Media we encourage open communication and acceptance of diversity as an integral part of our corporate culture with a specific focus on the designated groups identified in the above-noted reports, namely: visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal Peoples and women. We are committed to:
• Respecting, celebrating and encouraging the diversity of our employees to maximize morale and productivity; • Producing programming that accurately reflects the presence of cultural and racial minorities, persons with disabilities, women and Aboriginal Peoples through fair and non-stereotypical portrayal of diversity; and • Promoting community involvement to better understand diversity within Rogers Media and the communities we serve.
This report outlines a number of established diversity policies and procedures within our organization while highlighting ongoing activities and newly-proposed initiatives. The report provides detailed information in the following eight areas: Rogers Media Inc. Page 2 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
1. Corporate Accountability; 2. Recruitment, Hiring and Retention; 3. Internal Communications; 4. Programming; 5. Accessibility; 6. Internships, Mentoring and Scholarships; 7. Community and Industry Outreach; and 8. Objectives for 2013.
1. CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY
At Rogers Media, leadership is not just about innovation in the marketplace, it is also about taking the lead in corporate governance. As a good business partner for our customers and shareholders, a good employer for our people and a good neighbour in the communities we serve, we strive to remain at the forefront of responsible business practices.
'People first' Culture
Rogers Media is committed to being a great place to work. We attract and retain the finest talent by providing ongoing training and career development, an enriching experience, and fostering a positive and supportive atmosphere.
Shared by Everyone
Our employees embrace the values and principles of our corporate social responsibility, reflecting a shared commitment that goes further than the service we provide as a business.
Teamwork
We have built an environment based on collaboration, trust and transparency. We strive for excellence and help our colleagues do the same. We work in a safe and challenging work environment that values and recognizes individual contributions and diversity in a cooperative and collaborative manner.
Giving Back
Our employees individually and collectively give back to their communities by incorporating ethical values and respect for people, communities and the environment into our business activities.
Recognized and Awarded
The many awards we have received for our corporate social responsibility initiatives are a testament to our passion for giving back. Above all, these awards
Rogers Media Inc. Page 3 2012 Annual Report on Diversity recognize the individuality, initiative and enthusiasm our people bring to the community and our environment.
Diversity
Our Corporate Plan identifies a number of senior executives with responsibility for diversity initiatives within our organization. Overseeing these initiatives in 2012 at the corporate level were Keith Pelley, President Rogers Media; Scott Moore, President Broadcasting; Susan Wheeler, Vice President, Regulatory, Media; and Lara Root, Vice President, Human Resources, Rogers Media.
In addition to their responsibilities within the company, management and staff are encouraged to become involved in diversity initiatives whether within our organization or within our industry at large.
A number of individuals within our Corporate Talent Strategy Team also provide support to all Rogers Communications Inc. (Rogers) operating companies, including Rogers Media, to manage diversity initiatives and events. An Employment System Review was conducted in 2010 to identify barriers in designated groups and employment equity occupational groups by reviewing our employment system, policies and practices. The three-year Employment Equity Plan was subsequently updated and the Employment Equity Steering Committee was created to oversee, promote, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the plan. The committee’s main functions are to identify gaps in existing employment policy and practices and organize information sessions for employees interested in employment equity issues.
Rogers Media is regulated under the Employment Equity Act. Technologies and processes are in place to facilitate our reporting requirements under the Legislated Employee Equity Program. Toolsets have been developed and continue to evolve to support Diversity Workforce Planning. Standard queries are being developed on an ongoing basis to enable analysis and correction of all source data on our employee database. The Human Resources Project Management Office commits time, effort and resources in order to ensure ongoing improvements for our diverse work force.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 4 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
2. RECRUITMENT, HIRING AND RETENTION
Rogers is committed to the principles of cultural and diversity management. We work to ensure that equal opportunities exist for all employees in all aspects of employment while maintaining merit principle as the basis for all employment and promotion opportunities.
We are committed to developing and refining employment practices and procedures with the objective of ensuring fair and equitable representation of Canada’s diversity within our workforce.
Managers and recruiters are trained to use behavioural-based interviewing techniques. Instead of focusing generally on background and/or employment history, these techniques draw information from specific questions to assess the skills and characteristics necessary to fill each position.
At Rogers, diversity fuels ideas. The constant collaboration of ideas, perspectives and outlooks from our diverse employees keeps us on our feet and one step ahead. As a company that provides services to many different communities in one of the world's most multicultural countries, we recognize the importance of building a workforce that reflects the profile of our customers and Canada's diversity. We believe it is important that our internal diversity reflects the diversity of our customer base by providing services such as multilingual call centers. Furthermore, Rogers Cable provides a multicultural programming line up of over 90 channels in more than 25 languages. With respect to our broadcasting assets, OMNI Television is Canada’s largest ethnic broadcaster dedicated to meeting the multicultural and multilingual needs of the communities it serves. On the radio side, World FM reflects Edmonton’s ethnocultural communities in over 19 different languages. When recruiting for these stations candidates with specific language skills from diverse cultural backgrounds are given priority based on the requirements for the programs we broadcast.
The promotion of diversity begins at the recruitment stage. Rogers has implemented an online recruitment tool which allows much greater access to the careers available at Rogers. The website located on the rogers.com career portal contains a series of videos of Rogers’ employees demonstrating the diversity of our workforce.
To ensure we make continuous progress in the area of diversity, we honour an overall corporate Diversity Management Program policy that maps out the steps needed to implement and monitor these initiatives. In 2012 Rogers Diversity Management Policy was updated to reflect the evolving landscape of the communities we serve.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 5 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
The scope of the policy establishes our position with respect to the ideas of Canadian multiculturalism and celebrates the diversity of our employees. We are committed to ensuring a work environment free from discrimination, harassment or prejudice and that equal opportunity exists for all employees in all aspects of recruitment and employment.
Employees are our single most important asset and we need to ensure that we continue to attract the best qualified candidates to fill our current and future business needs. Diversity management ensures that the candidate pool is maximized and all valuable potential resources are tapped.
We are committed to creating an environment that celebrates diversity of its workforce and accommodates individual needs in order to allow employees to contribute to their full potential thus maximizing productivity and morale.
By having a workforce reflective of the diverse markets and communities in which we serve, we optimize our position in developing business.
The policy mandates that we:
• Develop strategic human resource policies and programs that encompass all employees and recognize their individual strengths to achieve the business goals of the organization;
• Recognize that individuals have different needs and that managers/supervisors must possess the skills to work effectively with a diverse group of employees, and be provided with the necessary training; and
• Identify and eliminate barriers to designated employment groups (e.g., women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities) and report our progress to meet federal and provincial Employment Equity legislation.
The first stage of the employment process is to give new employees access to an Employee Toolkit containing information on the benefits of working at Rogers including an introduction to our Respect and Dignity Policy and Workplace Harassment Policy. At this time employees are invited to complete a Self Identification Questionnaire.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 6 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
The following is from this section of the Employee Toolkit:
It is the right of all Rogers employees to perform in a workplace environment free of harassment and be treated with dignity and respect. It is the duty of all Rogers employees and Company at large to do everything in our power to respect and to ensure that right.
Ted Rogers, Founder, Rogers Communications Inc.
In addition to corporate policies that promote diversity in the workforce, it is an encouraged practice when filling any position that at least one of the candidates short-listed during the hiring process is from one of the designated groups. In particular, our OMNI stations always recruit from the cultural communities that our programs target and, therefore, we recruit from ethno-specific communities.
In 2012 the Rogers Workplace Accommodation Policy was updated. The scope of this policy is to maintain a workplace that is open, accessible and recognizes that individuals with special needs may require accommodation in order to perform to their full potential.
In addition to the corporate policies and practices discussed above, Rogers Media has developed several initiatives to ensure the retention of people from diverse backgrounds. These include the following:
Prayer/Faith Room at Rogers Campus
In response to the different religious and spiritual needs of employees, we have provided a specific facility for their use. The Prayer/Faith Room is located in the One Mount Pleasant building of the Rogers Campus in Toronto and is adaptable to a variety of different religious or spiritual practices.
Staff Training
Rogers has developed a number of corporate policies and training programs that address key areas such as diversity management, employment equity and respect and dignity in the workplace. The continuing availability of diversity training helps employees understand the on-going evolution of diversity in Canada, potential influences for bias and/or discrimination in the workplace and the significant benefits that diversity can bring to our business and to the communities in which we work and live.
Rogers has also created an online learning portal called “My Learning”. This is a one-stop shop for all learning at Rogers with links to Leadership Development, Career Development and eLearning.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 7 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Through our Corporate Organizational Development department, managers are encouraged to attend additional training programs and workshops that provide some additional background information on diversity management and employment equity. These Leadership Development programs include Emerging Leaders for first-time managers, Managing Matters for managers and Leading Great Teams for directors.
Emerging Leaders target audience is first-time managers in their first six months on the job.
Program features are:
• Focused on the transition from individual contributor to people manager; • Over a seven-month timeframe, participants engage in a blended learning program that incorporates informal and formal learning approaches designed to engage both the new manager and the new manager’s supervisor; and • Feedback on the progression of the transition to a manager is provided within the first 100 days.
The outcomes of the program:
• Ensure that new managers are up and running and effective in their new role; • Provide a support group by connecting new managers with others in a similar position; and • Increase participants’ understanding of leader expectations.
Managing Matters target audience is managers who have been in their role for at least one year.
Program features are:
• Over a three-month period, participants engage in a continuous blended learning program designed to provide them with simple-to-use tools, opportunities to network and to share best practices with their peers while developing a common and consistent language; • Based on storytelling, the curriculum includes executive sponsors who share their leadership stories with frontline managers; and • The modular format provides flexibility for scheduling and maintaining current content.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 8 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
The outcomes of the program:
• Increase the manager’s knowledge of the larger organization and how all the parts fit together to drive the Rogers’ business objectives; • Ensure Managers have base-line knowledge of core management skills (communications, performance management, goal setting, coaching, and developing their teams); and • Provide an opportunity for managers to grow their organizational network.
Leading Great Teams target audience is all directors.
Program features are:
• A six-month program for Directors and their intact teams; • A combination of in-class, coaching, on-the-job practice, and team facilitation sessions; • Key components of the program are co-facilitated by Rogers senior leaders; • Robust self and team development plans are tied to business objectives to drive results; • Follow-up support is provided to ensure sustainability; and • Evaluation measures put in place pre/post-session to assess team progress over time.
The outcomes of the program:
• Create insights about individual motivation to improve team results; • Coach employees for stronger team performance; • Identify team strengths and development opportunities to improve performance; • Develop better ways of building trust, making decisions and managing conflict; • Build collaborative networks to complete work effectively; and • Align leader and team action plans to business strategy.
In addition Rogers introduced Harvard Manage Mentor available to all managers. Harvard Manage Mentor offers:
• Anyplace, anytime, on-demand expert advice from world-renowned business leaders; • Using video clips, downloadable tools, interactive activities and other content, managers have access to practical information that they can use immediately to address specific management issues and concerns; and
Rogers Media Inc. Page 9 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• A wide range of modules including one on diversity are available to provide guidance and support for managers.
As well, Career Development Tools, available to all employees, are built into our performance management tool, SuccessFactors. In addition, guides for employees and managers are available in the “My Learning” portal providing a library of professional development learning material available to all Rogers employees at no cost.
Rogers also provides additional training to employees in order to better understand the diverse communities we serve. For example, several employees of City Calgary attended the 2012 Multicultural Marketing Conference. The conference featured keynote speaker Jocelyn David, Director of Marketing for Western Union Company of Canada. Ms. David provided a refreshing perspective on the field of multicultural marketing with her upbeat combination of interactive storytelling and case studies covering campaigns directed at Canadian immigrants from Africa, Latin America, the Philippines and India. Other speakers included Michael Gray, Founder and President of G&G Advertising, Saul Gitlin, Executive Vice President, Strategic Services at Kang & Lee as well as a panel, including OMNI’s Community Liaison, Brian Wong. The objective of the conference was to highlight how Canada has become more culturally diverse, and organizations are investigating, if not already incorporating, ethnic marketing strategies. In addition, the General Manager of our Timmins radio stations participated in an Aboriginal Awareness seminar hosted by the Timmins Economic Development Corporation. The one day seminar was attended by twenty community leaders and dealt with Aboriginal history in Canada, challenges for the Aboriginal population and how to deal with Aboriginal business entities.
Rogers Women’s Network
In late 2010 the Rogers Women’s Network was launched to cultivate the unique strengths of women and to share stories of work life across Rogers. The network’s mission is to facilitate the development and retention of women. Furthermore, it promotes information sharing and networking to assist women to achieve their maximum potential. Its vision is to positively impact the culture at Rogers, promote women to contribute diversity of voice to the executive and leadership levels of the organization, and create a connectedness of Rogers women throughout all Rogers operating divisions. Over 300 women across Canada participate through various workshops and networking events.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 10 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
3. INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Information for New Employees
As mentioned earlier, new employees are provided with access to an online Employee Toolkit which contains information on Respect and Dignity and Diversity Management.
In addition, all new employees are required to review and acknowledge a Business Conduct Guidelines Agreement which addresses human rights and respect and dignity in the workplace.
Other Internal Communication Tools
Daily broadcast bulletins, email bulletins and bulletin board postings relating to company and employee achievements are used to share information with employees and promote diversity. The Rogers News daily email newsletter includes company announcements and is designed to keep employees updated on items of interest as well as Rogers initiatives and awards.
Employees have electronic access to the Rogers Intranet and the Rogers Human Resources Portal myHR that contain up-to-date human resource policies, including those on Diversity, Employment Equity Management, Workplace Harassment and the Business Code of Conduct.
In 2012 Rogers launched RogersZone, a new tool changing how we collaborate and communicate as a company and built for employees to learn more about our business and provide feedback. It was developed to create a sense of community to share successes, brainstorm on business issues and collaborate on innovative solutions.
At the local station level, managers disseminate information respecting diversity goals and initiatives through means appropriate for each station/market, such as email, staff meetings, bulletin board postings and monthly market reports.
4. PROGRAMMING
OMNI Television
As Canada’s only multicultural over-the-air television network, OMNI Television (OMNI) is dedicated to meeting the multicultural and multilingual needs of the communities it serves. Our stations, which serve local communities in British Columbia (BC), Alberta and Ontario, are defined by a strong commitment to multiculturalism and diversity.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 11 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
We work in an environment where various cultures and languages interact on a daily basis. Our programming is designed to promote increased understanding within, and between, ethnocultural groups in Canada. We maintain relationships with the communities we serve – relationships that are based on trust, respect, co-operation and a detailed knowledge of their social and cultural practices.
OMNI has developed and maintained partnerships with the Canadian Ethnocultural Council, Canadian Race Relations Foundation, Association for Canadian Studies, Canadian Ethnic Media Association, Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Canadian Ethnic Studies, Ontario Council of Associations Serving Immigrants and other ethno-specific and cross-cultural organizations and institutions.
OMNI is a key participant in the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Project “Interfaith and Belonging: A Civic Education and Engagement Initiative”. This initiative, supported by funding from the Department of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Canada, promotes dialogue and civic engagement among and between faith-based communities. The program’s objective is to enhance the civic participation and responsibility of different communities in Canada and to strengthen a sense of belonging in Canada. It also assists communities in understanding their rights and responsibilities as residents and citizens of Canada; and it explores how best to encourage a sense of belonging to Canada. OMNI served as a resource as well as a facilitator. In particular, OMNI partnered with the Canadian Ethnic Media Association in developing, disseminating and promoting public awareness and media campaigns with community groups and organizations nationwide. Public Service Announcements (PSAs) were created to advance the message of diversity, inclusion and belonging. These PSAs were broadcast on mainstream and ethnic media networks. OMNI also contributed to the development of educational tools and resources to advance Canadian values, identity, citizenship and civic education. Based on the course material, and with the participation of the Interfaith Leaders Circle and grassroots organizations, workshop/mentorship sessions were delivered across the country to faith-based and ethnocultural communities.
OMNI is also a participant and partner with the Community University Research Alliance “CURA” participating in a study exploring the diversity in the media. In particular, OMNI is on a steering committee for the project “Diversity Leads” that examines and researches diversity leadership. OMNI also participates in a segment of this project examining ethnic media; specifically the differences between ethnocultural news and mainstream news reporting.
OMNI also participated in the “Samara Engagement Session” which contributed input on how to shape annual surveys on the health of Canada’s democracy. A
Rogers Media Inc. Page 12 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
priority was to measure the elements of citizen engagement in understanding the concerns of new Canadians.
In 2012 OMNI management participated in diversity education, development and training in both the public and private sectors. For example:
• Madeline Ziniak, National Vice President at OMNI, gave the key note address at the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council addressing the issue of ethnic media and its role as a barometer of Canada’s growing diversity;
• Madeline Ziniak also participated as one of four judges with respect to the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Awards of Excellence and Best Practices in the following categories: Aboriginal Community, Education, Government, Youth and the Corporate Sector;
• In addition, Madeline Ziniak was the key note speaker at Pier 21, Museum of Immigration: addressing the issue of ethnic media as a social movement or commodity;
• Renato Zane, Director of News and Public Affairs at OMNI, participated on a diversity media panel addressing Directors of Communication for the Ontario Provincial Government;
• OMNI Calgary Community Liaison Officer Brian Wong gave a speech to a group of University students via the Coalition for Equal Access to Education on the topic of youth leadership;
• Brian Wong also hosted by the Ethno-Cultural Council of Calgary, and also acted as a panellist at the Multicultural Marketing Conference held for the first time in Calgary. The conference, dedicated to teaching audiences about marketing in the face of Canada’s ever-evolving ethnicity and culture, featured new research and in-depth case studies; and
• Melanie Farrell, Director Community Liaison, OMNI Ontario, is on the Board of Directors of Progress Career Planning Institute whose mandate is to assist new immigrants in finding employment.
OMNI offers a diversity of programming in over 40 languages. In 2012 OMNI Ontario produced and broadcast five nightly newscasts in Italian, Portuguese, South Asian, Cantonese and Mandarin with contributions from the Alberta and
Rogers Media Inc. Page 13 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Ottawa bureaus. OMNI BC produced three newscasts in Punjabi, Cantonese and Mandarin.
Moreover, OMNI produced 43 hours of original programming weekly and broadcast in 23 languages in Alberta, 22 languages in BC and 40 languages in Ontario. Weekly public affairs and entertainment programs were produced in Polish, Punjabi and Portuguese. OMNI also worked with 43 independent producers who contribute 42 multicultural programs to its schedules.
The OMNI Third Language Documentary and Drama Fund was the first of its kind in Canada created to support third-language expression. This fund kick- started the development of a new tier of third-language documentary producers who now have access to traditional production institutions such as the National Film Board of Canada and the Canadian Media Fund.
The programs provided by OMNI fall broadly into three different categories: (1) news; (2) community news and magazine shows; and (3) documentaries, drama and specials.
(1) OMNI News
In 2012 OMNI stations produced weekday newscasts in Cantonese, Mandarin, Punjabi, Italian, Portuguese, and English for the South Asian communities.
OMNI news departments held daily line-up meetings for each of its newscasts in each region. Producers of the South Asian, Portuguese, Italian, Cantonese, Mandarin and Punjabi newscasts attend as well as news management. Monthly editorial board meetings are also held with the Canadian Ethnic Media Association with invited guest speakers. Speakers have included Jean Augustine, Fairness Commissioner, Rahul K. Bhardwaj, President and CEO of the Toronto Community Foundation and Marie Chapman, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.
Our news departments also hold regular weekly meetings with our multicultural and multilingual news teams to discuss ongoing issues in their respective communities. We put emphasis on ensuring that we engage a variety of opinions within each group for our news stories and also generate story ideas that would appeal to different segments of the population. We also actively seek out experts and opinion makers in the specific communities we serve on major local, national, and international issues.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 14 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
(2) Community News and Magazine Shows
Each OMNI station also provides a wide variety of weekly programs for local multicultural communities. These programs focus on local news and events and offer a number of interviews, commentaries and entertainment segments. While some of these programs are produced by OMNI, many are provided by local independent producers.
In Ontario, OMNI broadcast 31 news magazine or community news programs annually directed to 29 different communities from independent producers. OMNI BC broadcast 10 news magazine or community news programs and in Alberta we have developed two to date and are in the process of developing more.
In 2012 OMNI Ontario and Alberta launched new weekly magazine programs specific to each market entitled Culture Avenue. These 30-minute programs delve into the history and cultural richness of events and festivals in each community.
(3) Documentaries / Dramas / Specials
OMNI also funds the production of Canadian documentaries and dramas through the OMNI Ontario, Alberta and BC Independent Production Funds created with tangible benefits contribution. These funding mechanisms have fostered the grassroots development of Canadian television producers of ethnocultural content providing them with a unique opportunity to further develop their skill sets through involvement in a large-scale production project. In our view, this is precisely the kind of production opportunity that fosters broader and more diverse production activity.
Examples of completed projects in 2012 on behalf of the BC initiative include:
o Akebono (Japanese, English) – A 13-part series about the history of Japanese Canadians;
o Canada de Kirti (aka, Canadian Farm Workers) (Punjabi, English) – A historical exploration of largely Punjabi-speaking farmers' lives in BC in pre-union times and chronologically follows the path of union formation and the improvements (if any) that the union has brought into these farm workers’ lives;
o Lumber Lions (English, Punjabi) – The story of the BC lumber industry, beginning in the early 1900s, that parallels the story of early Sikh immigrants to the region;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 15 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
o Paldi: The Village (English and Punjabi) – Paldi, is a small village that was established in Canada in the 1920’s by a Punjabi immigrant, Mayo Singh. The purpose was to create housing for his lumber mill workers. The village prospered, had its own store and school but unfortunately as the lumber industry died so did the village; and
o Punjabi Sports Show (Punjabi) – This is the first sports show in Canada in Punjabi with a goal to bring sports and health-related awareness to the community.
Examples of completed projects in 2012 on behalf of the Alberta initiative are as follows:
o Cold Paradise (Tagalog, English) – Cold Paradise offers a rare insight into the lives of Filipino temporary workers and permanent residents in the Yukon. This documentary chronicles their struggle to settle into the North as they cope with separation from their children and families and a climate 30 degrees colder than their homeland; and
o Nature's Invitation (English, Mandarin, Tagalog) – Explores how new Canadians are embracing Canada's national and provincial parks as they integrate into their new lives as Canadians.
The Ontario fund which has existed for more than seven years has supported the production of hundreds of hours of documentaries, dramas and specials. Some examples of completed projects in 2012 include:
o Elder Care (Mandarin, Hindi and English) – A look at the growing plight of the elderly members of Canada’s ethnic communities, and the challenges of caring for them as their numbers continue to soar in the years ahead. This is a story told through the eyes of the seniors themselves;
o Kalaapam Tamil TV (Tamil) – A weekly series on issues relevant to the Tamil-Canadian community in Ontario;
o Unwanted (Hindi and English) – Fifty million female fetuses have been aborted in India and China over the last two decades. Unwanted is a film that explores not just the secret genocide of girls but also the lives of the mothers who live under a permanent shadow in a world that wants only boys, resulting in a number of villages without women;
o My Country (Tamil, English) – The history of Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada told through personal stories of individuals who have chosen to seek
Rogers Media Inc. Page 16 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
refuge in Canada and what it means when your country of birth can no longer be called your home; and
o Fouad's Dream (Arabic) – The story of the quest by Fouad Sahyoun, a successful Montreal Palestinian businessman and town councillor to re- establish himself in the city of his birth, Haifa Israel. Fouad remembers Haifa as a jewel of Arab-Jewish-Christian multi-faith and multi-ethnic harmony, before his family joined the Palestinian exodus in 1948. By buying and renovating an old hotel that used to be in his wife’s family, Fouad’s dream is to help make a break in the wall of hostility that exists between Israelis and Palestinians by establishing business and cultural links between Montreal and Haifa.
Although many of the programs created through these funds were produced in a third language, a vast majority are also available in English, increasing their potential reach and accessibility. The programs are broadcast in prime time, being first aired in their language of production, with English versions also packaged and marketed as part of the Signature Series (also available in prime time). Total production funding for these initiatives has surpassed $60 million.
Multilingual/Multicultural and Accessibility Public Services Projects
OMNI has funded a litany of PSAs to help ensure the accessibility of important public information. In 2012, the following PSAs were produced through this project in different languages:
• Rakhi Project (Punjabi, English) – OMNI BC partnered with the City of Surrey and in conjunction with community partners DiverseCity Community Resources Society and Save-On Foods to raise awareness about domestic violence. The 30-second PSA featured Punjabi News Anchor Jasdip Wahla; • S.U.C.C.E.S.S. (Mandarin, Cantonese, English) – OMNI BC produced a PSA to inform viewers of the role that the immigration and social service agency S.U.C.C.E.S.S. plays in the Chinese community as well as other diverse communities. The PSA also brings attention to the services that S.U.C.C.E.S.S. offers and highlight its contibutions to the community;
• Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (Russian, Tagalog, Spanish, Farsi and English) – OMNI Ontario produced a PSA promoting this association which advocates freedom of expression and defends the rights of journalists across the globe; and
Rogers Media Inc. Page 17 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• People in Motion (English) – Every year OMNI Ontario produces different PSAs for People in Motion. In 2012 the PSA promoted a job fair for persons with disabilities.
Recognition of Multilingual and Multicultural Journalists
OMNI produces and broadcasts the only Canadian Awards for Excellence in Multilingual, Multicultural Journalism. The Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) has annually held juried awards in four categories: Television, Radio, Internet and Print as well as a lifetime achievement award for dedication and commitment to multicultural reflection. OMNI has produced, broadcast and sponsored the awards for over 19 years.
Local Community Reflection
As stated earlier, OMNI’s programming is designed to promote increased understanding within, and between, multicultural groups in Canada. More than 60% of each station’s monthly programming schedule and 50% of the evening schedule (6pm to midnight) are dedicated to ethnic programming. As well, each station provides programming that targets a minimum of 20 distinct ethnic groups and broadcasts in a minimum of 20 distinct languages. We believe that OMNI represents the true essence of diversity by reflecting the communities we serve. The following are but a few examples:
OMNI BC
• Chinatown New Years Parade – OMNI BC produced and broadcast this 30- minute special on the annual parade. This special focused on the many Chinese New Year traditions that form part of the parade;
• NBA – OMNI BC broadcast the NBA game between the New York Knicks and the Toronto Raptors with commentary in Mandarin on Friday, March 23, 2012;
• S.U.C.C.E.S.S. – OMNI BC produced a one-hour TV special for the immigration and social services agency S.U.C.C.E.S.S. This special helped bring awareness to the myriad of services that S.U.C.C.E.S.S. offers and highlights its contributions to the BC community;
• OMNI News – Cantonese and Mandarin newscasts were broadcast live from the Richmond Lantern Festival. This was a special broadcast to celebrate Moonfest - a mid-autumn cultural celebration; and
• OMNI News Special – As part of an open house held on November 16, 2012, the OMNI studio was open to the public during the Chinese and Punjabi
Rogers Media Inc. Page 18 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
newscasts. This open house special made the newscast more lively and engaging.
OMNI Alberta
• TV Filipino (formerly titled as Pinoy Alberta) – This weekly half-hour program features stories about Filipino culture, customs and local community events in Alberta, including special events such as association anniversaries, interviews with community leaders, Filipino musical performances and concerts;
• Alberta Weekly/Saptaminal Albertan – This half-hour Romanian weekly magazine program provides a community voice for Romanian-Canadians from Alberta who contribute both economically and culturally to the multicultural mosaic of Alberta;
• Culture Avenue – This newly launched weekly magazine show consists of approximately 10 to 12 stories on events and celebrations from various ethnocultural communities in Alberta. Each week, OMNI promotes these events on its Community Calendar while the sights and sounds are showcased during the broadcast. Featuring multicultural festivals, community events and interviews, Culture Avenue aims to enable our ethnic communities to see themselves as they celebrate their culture. With the entire program in English, different cultural communities are able to appreciate each others events in a common language they all understand; and
• OMNI Multicultural Community Calendar – This one-minute interstitial provides footage of local community events and lists upcoming events. Different interstitials are broadcast a minimum of eight times each day, seven days a week. In addition, from December 26, 2012 to January 8, 2013 OMNI Alberta broadcasts the Community Calendar Holiday Special reflecting holiday traditions of different ethnic groups in Alberta from the following communities: Romanian, Japanese, Italian, Ukrainian, Polish, Serbian, Columbian, Zimbabwean, Indian, Ethiopian, Dutch, Egyptian, Jewish, Swedish and African.
OMNI Ontario
• Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs (ACCE) Awards – OMNI has produced and broadcast a one-hour special for over 10 years of these annual awards in recognition of successful entrepreneurs in the Chinese business community;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 19 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• Sikh Centennial Dinner – This annual gala honours Sikhs and non-Sikhs whose contributions best reflect the ideology of Sikhism. OMNI produced and broadcast a half-hour special and produced video profiles of the honourees; and
• Planet Africa Awards – These awards identify role models and recognize individuals and organizations at the national and international levels who have made a profound difference in society and the lives of people of African heritage. OMNI produced and broadcast a half-hour special of this event.
City
The City group of stations has a programming philosophy that is locally-focused and community-based. Each station is a strong supporter of multiculturalism and diversity through its programming, both national and local, and its involvement with the local communities that it serves.
News and Local Programming
At City we approach our news and local programming coverage with an inclusive, solutions-driven attitude. Our news operations work on a large number of stories on any given day. Although some reporters and producers focus on certain areas (e.g. weather, sports), news-gathering and reporting resources are assigned to issues and stories that need to be covered with no regard to matching the cultural background of the reporters to the issues. Although ethnocultural community events are covered, reporters and producers are not specifically assigned to cover those stories, but instead work on them on a rotation and assignment basis, much like other stories. As well, reporters and producers are aware of the need to fairly represent the diversity of our cities when looking for “streeters”.
Our news programming regularly features a wide variety of experts or commentators from diverse backgrounds. Their input is sought for occasional stories as well as regular features. A stated objective of our news programming is to seek input from individuals from broadly diverse cultural and professional backgrounds on a wide variety of different issues. For example, City Toronto interviewed Dr. Adisa Azubuike, a Clinical Psychologist regarding the Newtown shootings. In addition, they interviewed Dr. Andrew Leung, an Optometrist regarding computer screens and eye strain.
City also ensures diversity in news coverage by using a variety of experts to explain the importance of issues in various ethnic communities. Frequently this investigation involves local academics and community leaders who are familiar
Rogers Media Inc. Page 20 2012 Annual Report on Diversity with not only the most up-to-date research but also the cultural sensitivities in each community. To provide you with examples City Calgary interviewed award- winning author, activist and academic, Thomas King, to discuss his book An Inconvenient Indian which tells the story of white North America’s historic (and ongoing) relationship with Aboriginal Peoples. As well, City Edmonton interviewed Shafin Kanji, an expert on the World Partnership Walk to discuss aide to Western African nations and Afghanistan.
Often our own staff members from different cultural backgrounds vet stories for tone and accuracy. We continue to employ this expertise as we strive to meet the diverse interests of our viewers.
Under this general approach, our stations across Canada continue to produce and air news and information programming that is of significant interest to diverse communities, including Aboriginal Peoples, visible minorities, persons with disabilities and women.
The following list highlights elements of our local programming that reflect the diversity of our communities:
City Vancouver
• Breakfast Television – This morning news and entertainment program has broadcast a myriad of stories reflecting diversity. A few examples are listed below:
o Missing Women Commission of Inquiry (various dates throughout the year) – The inquiry into how and why serial killer Robert Pickton was able to get away with murdering so many women was widely criticized by many women’s and First Nations’ groups;
o Enbridge/Northern Gateway Pipeline Opposition (various dates throughout the year) – Delegations of First Nations, union, business and environmental groups discussed the growth of the opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline;
o Paralympics – Over several months Breakfast Television interviewed British Columbian Paralympic athletes including: Garrett Hickling (Wheelchair Rugby), Elisabeth Walker-Young (Assistant Chef de Mission and four-time former Paralympian), Richard Peter, (Senior Men’s Wheelchair Basketball), Janet MacMachlan (Senior Women’s Wheelchair Basketball), Adam Frost (Coach, Team BC) and Jessica Kruger (Wheelchair Athlete); and
Rogers Media Inc. Page 21 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
o Ray Cam Community Centre Cuts (February 17) – Management running the Ray-Cam Community Centre claimed that child care was being threatened by government funding cuts. The province had proposed to change the way it allocates the centres funding. We interviewed several mothers opposed to the cuts.
City Calgary
• Breakfast Television Calgary created a variety of content that reflected members of the designated groups including:
o Breakfast Television on the Road from Chinatown (August 3) – Breakfast Television celebrated Heritage Day by broadcasting the entire show live on-location from the Chinese Cultural Centre. The entire episode was a celebration of Chinese heritage with a look at the 100 year history of Calgary’s Chinatown, a tour of the Chinese Artefacts Museum and segments profiling the art of calligraphy, lion dancing, and dim sum cooking. Breakfast Television also celebrated the Chinese Cultural Centre’s Leo Award in recognition of heritage conservation in Calgary in the community revitalization category;
o Sledge Hockey (January 2012) – City Calgary provided coverage of Calgary’s vibrant sledge hockey community as an accessible sport for persons with disabilities. The City documentary “Hockey in Calgary: Home Ice Advantage” featured interviews with Jon Bateman of the Calgary Scorpions, female sledge hockey player Makrina Morozowski and one of Calgary’s youngest players, Auren Halberd. In addition, the morning of December 4, 2012, Breakfast Television broadcast members of Canada’s National Sledge Hockey team demonstrating the skills required to play this accessible sport;
o Black History Month (February 10) – Award-winning author and filmmaker Cheryl Foggo appeared in-studio on Breakfast Television to celebrate Black History Month with inspiring local stories. Among other subjects Foggo shared the story of John Ware, a black Albertan who was honoured by Canada Post. Mr. Ware was a ranchman and a pioneer in rodeo techniques that would become staples of the Calgary Stampede. The segment also promoted a symposium entitled “What Is Black History?” that took place at the Central Public Library;
o Muslim Families Food and Clothing Drive (August 7) – Breakfast Television reported on a charitable initiative for Ramadan by the Muslim Families Network Society. More than 100 volunteers gathered to distribute
Rogers Media Inc. Page 22 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
food and clothing donations for the less fortunate. Our coverage included interviews with the volunteers; and
o Tibetan Nexen Protest (November 8) – Breakfast Television covered the Tibetan perspective on Nexen Canada’s pending sale to the China National Offshore Oil Company. Protestors outside of the Nexen Canada headquarters were seeking to draw attention to the forced resettlement of Tibetan nomads by China's state-owned corporation. Our newscast included an interview with Tsering Sandup-Phodang from the group Students for Free Tibet.
City Edmonton
• Breakfast Television Edmonton Celebrates Heritage Festival – Breakfast Television broadcast live from the festival from 5:30 am to 9 am, and then again from noon to 1 pm on August 6, 2012. This event features 60 pavilions representing over 80 cultures from all over the world. Attendees are able to sample culinary delicacies, see creative performances, shop for crafts, artwork and clothing, or converse with people eager to discuss their cultural roots and their present-day communities in Canada;
• Breakfast Television Edmonton also covered the following events that reflected members of the designated groups:
o Edmonton Dream Speakers Festival –Aboriginal film festival;
o Naanolicious – Opening of this new East Indian ethnic restaurant in Edmonton as well as a fundraiser for the less fortunate in India;
o Animethon – International Anime Festival that showcased Japanese comic-book culture, movies and television shows; and
o Chinese Dragon Boat Festival – Annual Dragon Boat Festival showcasing Chinese-style boat races on the North Saskatchewan River.
City Winnipeg
• Breakfast Television Winnipeg reflected the diverse communities it serves in its daily coverage. A few examples are listed below:
o Throughout 2012 Breakfast Television has been working on the 2013 launch of Golden Girl Finance. Laura McDonald and Susan Misner are the authors of “It’s Our Money Honey” aimed at women who are seeking financial advice from a female perspective. These Winnipeg-based
Rogers Media Inc. Page 23 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
experts will be part of our regular coverage of financial issues with their content being shared across Rogers Media;
o On April 17, 2012 Breakfast Television’s Live Eye host Drew Kozub hosted a live broadcast from Westwind Stables in Oak Bluff where children with disabilities were learning about therapeutic horseback riding. Drew spoke with Heather Wiebe, a parent of a child with a disability, who discussed how the program, coodinated by the Manitoba Riding for the Disabled Association, helped improve her daughter’s life;
o On National Aboriginal Day (June 21, 2012) Live Eye host Brittany Bagnal broadcast from the Odena Circle at The Forks and interviewed professional hoop dancer Melvin Starr about the importance of the event; and
o On June 28, 2012 Breakfast Television’s Live Eye host Drew Kozub introduced viewers to the game of cricket, one of the highest rated sporting events by viewers from the South Asian communities. During a remote at Assiniboine Park he promoted a major cricket tournament and interviewed guest. Among the guests were Trevor Manoosingh and Akhlas Umar of the National Cricket team.
City Toronto
• City Toronto broadcasts eight hours of ethnic programming each weekend on Saturday and Sunday mornings directed to the Portuguese, Italian, South Asian, Pakistani, Punjabi, Polish, Guianan and Caribbean communities:
o Dharti Sohni Pakistan (Urdu) is a variety show representing the Pakistani community with an emphasis on Islamic traditions. This show celebrates Pakistani culture in music and poetry. It offers community news, immigration information, movie features and interviews with members of the Canadian Pakistani community;
o Eye on Asia (Hindi and Punjab) is a variety show for the East Indian/South Asian/Indo-Canadian communities. This program celebrates their culture with features on music, dance with special attention on the Mumbai film industry, (also known as "Bollywood") and the exciting and unique Indian fashion industry;
o Festival Italiano di Johnny Lombardi (Italian) has been on the air for over 25 years and broadcasts every Sunday live from the CHIN building at 622 College Street in the heart of Toronto’s Little Italy. This Italian variety show features music videos by artists from the dynamic music industry in
Rogers Media Inc. Page 24 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Italy, along with music videos and live performances by accomplished Italo-Canadians;
o Gente da Nossa (Portuguese) is a magazine-style program hosted by Nellie Pedro as she engages in provocative and entertaining interviews with local entertainers and community leaders;
o Polish Studio (Polish) was founded in 1988. It is the St. Stanislaus-St. Casimir’s Polish parishes credit unions' own hour-long broadcast providing information on current events in Poland, local stories and cultural and community events;
o Aspire TV (English) is an entertainment show with insight. The answers to life’s powerful questions, eternal, universal, and applicable to all religions and cultures. This program tries to find commonality and unity among diversity of beliefs;
o Caribbean Connections (English) each week explores community events from carnivals to culinary happenings from Canada and around the world bringing the Caribbean and its flavours to our viewers in a fresh and exciting way that both entertains as well as educates;
o Dil Dil Pakistan (English and Pakistani) explores many aspects of the vibrant Pakistani community showcasing the sounds of the old days and songs of today and deals with topics of the day. Dil Dil Pakistan serves to educate and highlight the colourful and strong presence of the Pakistani community in Canada; and
• In addition, City Toronto produces and broadcasts CityLine. This daily one- hour show hosted by Tracy Moore, a Jamaican Canadian, deals with issues of concern to all Canadian women. In the last three years with the transition to a new host we are pleased to report the increased diversity of our studio audience.
Specialty Services
Rogers Sportsnet (Sportsnet)
Sportsnet’s programming schedule seeks to meet the expectations and interests of a broad diversity of Canadian sports fans. In doing so, Sportsnet has specifically identified the need to reflect the participation and success of athletes from a broad diversity of backgrounds.
In keeping with our commitment to broadcast under-represented sports, this past year Sportsnet’s programming schedule reflected a broad diversity of sports and
Rogers Media Inc. Page 25 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
included coverage reflecting the designated groups. The following are a few examples of Sportnset’s coverage of these groups:
• Produced and broadcast a 30-minute documentary Fair Ball about the trials and tribulations of a Ugandan little league baseball team trying to get to the Little League World Series while at the same time forming a bond with a Little League team from Langley BC;
• Celebrated Christine Sinclair of the Canadian Women’s Soccer team as its Canadian Athlete of the Year;
• Produced and broadcast the CONCACAF Women’s Soccer qualifying round as well as several stories relating to the event; and
• Covered the Women’s Cup qualifying round in Vancouver and the 2012 Paralympics in London.
In addition, Sportsnet Connected profiled the following individuals:
• Oscar Pistorius “the blade runner” leading into the 2012 Olympics;
• UBC volleyball player Austin Hinchey who is playing at the university level on a prosthetic leg; and
• Former MLB player Ron Leflore who overcame a criminal background including prison time to become an MLB player. A former league leader in stolen bases Leflore continues his life as an amputee.
Sportsnet Connected has a number of on-air experts, commentators and hosts from diverse communities including Paul Jones (NBA), Ladainian Tomlinson (NFL), Charles Davis (NFL), Jamie Dukes (NFL), Arash Madani (Reporter), Ian Mendes (Reporter), PJ Subban (hockey) and Hazel Mae (Anchor). Christine Simpson, Martine Gaillard and Evanka Osmak also have prominent on-air roles at Sportsnet and Kara Lang is a commentator for our Soccer division.
The Biography Channel
The Biography Channel Canada (bio.) is committed to diversity, and to the reflection and representation of our multicultural communities. The key programming strategy at bio. is to provide viewers with a wide variety of documentaries of a biographical nature. The library of programs available to bio. viewers in Canada is expansive and diverse and in 2012 included biographies of
Rogers Media Inc. Page 26 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
individuals from diverse backgrounds including William Still, the father of the underground railroad, Rick Hansen, Bruce Lee, Tiger Woods, Whitney Houston and Imelda Marcos. Furthermore, bio. also aired the following documentaries:
• Let’s Talk About It – Profiles the journey of four exceptional women, all of whom are newcomers to Canada, as they try to find resolution to their experience as victims of domestic violence;
• Lost Innocents – A Lebanese-Canadian women’s personal journey back to the Middle East to tell the devastating and inspirational story of two of the countless child victims left limbless by the war in Iraq; and
• Adeena Niazi – An inspiring portrait of a woman who came to Canada as a refugee from Afghanistan and went on to become an internationally recognized advocate for human rights; awarded locally, nationally and globally for her work.
Radio
It is the responsibility of each of our radio stations to develop on-air talent and programming that accurately reflects the community it serves. Our success can be assessed by examining all aspects of our programming, including on-air talent, invited guests, discussions of issues of interest to our audience and our extensive coverage of community events.
Canadian Content Development and Diversity
The revised Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Best Practices (CAB Best Practices) approved by the Commission include a specific reference to the use of Canadian Content Development (CCD) contributions towards advancing diversity within the radio sector. Rogers Media makes significant contributions to both FACTOR and the Radio Starmaker Fund.
FACTOR provides assistance toward the growth and development of the Canadian independent music industry. Rogers was one of the original co- founders of FACTOR in 1982 and currently holds a seat on the FACTOR Board of Directors. In 2012 Rogers Media contributed approximately $540,000 to this association and served as Chair of its Board of Directors.
FACTOR has increased its presence across Canada. Through workshops (in collaboration with radio) started in 2007, FACTOR has created a greater awareness for all Canadian musicians. While not specific to projects that advance diversity in radio, this collaboration should result in more applications received at FACTOR, leading to a greater variety of genres of music that can receive potential funding.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 27 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
The Radio Starmaker Fund provides marketing and promotional support to launch the careers of emerging Canadian artists. In 2012 Rogers radio contributed over $410,000 to this fund and served on its Board of Directors.
The Radio Starmaker Fund supports emerging artists in a wide variety of genres ranging from Adult Contemporary and Pop to Electronica, Urban, World and Jazz. Eligibility for funding is based on measurable objective criteria ensuring that emerging artists from diverse backgrounds and genres are able to access funding on a transparent and equitable basis. Of particular note, this fund recognizes a distinct genre of music from Aboriginal artists.
In addition, Rogers Radio encourages our stations to embrace the CAB Best Practices and propose funding initiatives that foster diversity. As a result, they have directed CCD funds for the following initiatives:
• Bamoseda – In 2009 Rogers radio introduced a weekly Aboriginal program called Bamoseda (which means “walking together” in the Anishinabe language) to the communities of Squamish, Abbotsford, Canmore, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Timmins, North Bay and Ottawa. This program, produced by Jennifer Ashawasegai, is broadcast both on-air and online. It provides a national Aboriginal newscast as well as interviews focusing on relevant, current and contemporary political issues across Canada. Occasionally the program includes features on cultural living and business. Music from Aboriginal artists in a cross section of genres is also included in each broadcast. Aboriginal content includes First Nations, Métis and Inuit. The unique aspect of Bamoseda is that it includes important issues in Aboriginal communities in the province and the country, from a First Nations perspective. Jennifer’s journalism background ensures that the program offers a balanced and in-depth approach to Aboriginal news coverage. The program also provides listeners with a more holistic understanding of Aboriginal news and exposes listeners to a broad variety of great music from the Aboriginal community. Over and above our financial support for this program our staff provides technical, audio and production support to Jennifer when needed and shares helpful tips on program production and delivery; and
• World Wonder International Singing Contest – World FM also presented this fourth annual contest on the main stage during the Edmonton Heritage Festival. This event which was co-produced with City and OMNI, featured ten finalists performing in their language of choice before a live audience. Prize
Rogers Media Inc. Page 28 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
money was awarded to the winner for the development of professional recorded material.
Ethnic Radio - World-FM Edmonton
As an ethnic station World FM Edmonton’s mandate is to provide 100% ethnic programming to Edmonton’s ethnocultural communities with service in over 19 different languages. It is a policy to hire on-air talent and invite guests from the specific ethnic community to which the program in question pertains. Our producers represent more than 23 different ethnocultural groups.
Not only does World FM provide programming for a myriad of ethnocultural groups but it also promoted cross-culturalism. For example, during 2012 the station broadcast on location from the Edmonton Heritage Festival in Italian, Spanish, Cantonese and German with feature interviews in Ukrainian, Polish, South Asian and Arabic.
As mentioned above, World FM also presented the fourth annual World Wonder International Singing Contest on the main stage during the festival featuring ten finalists performing in their language of choice before a live audience.
In addition, World FM co-organized Alberta Culture Days, in association with the St John’s Institute, featuring multicultural art and music workshops with performances from eight different ethnic communities.
National Initiative – Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto,
Rogers radio proudly supports the Canadian Women’s Foundation campaign each year with a month-long national fundraising and awareness campaign dedicated to ending violence against women on 96.9 Jack FM Vancouver, News 1130 Vancouver, Lite 96 Calgary, 91.7 The Bounce Edmonton, Clear FM Winnipeg and 98.1 CHFI-FM Toronto. This campaign culminates with a full day Shelter from the Storm Radiothon produced in Toronto and broadcast across Canada. Over $1.5 million dollars is raised for the Canadian Women’s Foundation supporting women’s shelters in each community represented.
News and Information Programming
Our stations are committed to bringing news and information programming to all sectors of their local communities and are proud of the strong relationships they have developed. For example, our stations have worked closely with the Aboriginal First Nations and the Indo-Canadian Communities in the Fraser Valley on issues of concern to their communities.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 29 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Rogers radio also ensures diversity in news coverage by using a variety of experts to explain the importance of issues in various multicultural communities. Often this involves local academics who are familiar with not only the most up-to- date research but also the cultural sensitivities of each community.
Often our own staff members from different cultural backgrounds vet stories for tone and accuracy. We continue to employ this expertise as we strive to meet the diverse interests of our listeners.
Rogers’ radio news operations work on a large number of stories on any given day. Although some reporters and producers do focus on certain areas (e.g. hockey commentator or all-news weather person), news-gathering and reporting resources are assigned to issues and stories that need to be covered, with no regard to matching the cultural background of the report or producer to the issues. Although ethnocultural community events are covered, reporters and producers are not specifically assigned to cover those stories, but instead work on them on a rotation and assignment basis, much like other stories.
Under this general approach, Rogers’ radio stations across Canada continue to produce and air news and information programming that is of significant interest to diverse communities, including Aboriginal Peoples, visible minorities, persons with disabilities and women.
The following are examples of some of the programs and stories aired by our radio stations in 2012 that reflect and/or promote diversity:
Vancouver
• Throughout 2012 News1130 profiled the concerns of the Musqueam First Nation in its quest to preserve a possible burial site from development in Marpole. This included live coverage of the protests at the Arthur Laing Bridge;
• News1130 reported on the concerns of families of Vancouver’s Aboriginal community in Downtown Eastside as they raised issues relating to the handling of the Inquiry into Missing Women; and
• All Vancouver stations reported on the London 2012 Paralympics and the Canadian contingent with particular focus on BC participants including blind swimmer Donovan Tildesley and wheelchair rugby player Garett Hicking.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 30 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Calgary
• Sportsnet 960 broadcast interviews with Meaghan Mikkelson of Team Alberta and Tessa Bonhomme of the Toronto Furies bringing attention to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League;
• CHFM Lite 95.9 broadcast a number of stories about the significance of the Chinese New Year and profiled events in Calgary’s China Town;
• 660News aired stories on the following:
o The Multidisciplinary Approach in Languages Conference held by the University of Calgary in May with representatives from 25 countries debating and presenting issues on language policy, multiculturalism and national identity;
o The public dialogue on how ethnicity shapes the media in Canada; and
o A Canadian study revealing that the majority of small business owners have never hired a person with a disability. During the segment Sonya Kunkel, Director of Diversity with the Bank of Montreal, discussed the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities.
Fort McMurray
• The Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation’s court case to require the federal government to inform their community before granting oil sands leases on Aboriginal land;
• The creation of the position of Aboriginal Liaison at the Northern Lights Health Foundation. Rock 97.9 and 93.3 CJOK provided information about this new role created to help the local Aboriginal community navigate the healthcare system; and
• The Fort McMurray First Nation traffic slowdown on the treacherous Highway 881 out of the city. We covered the announcement of the event, as well as the event itself, the aftermath and local First Nation’s reaction. We were thanked by the First Nation for helping to spread the word and, at the same time, bringing awareness to the dangers of this highway.
Northern Ontario
Our Northern Ontario stations aired a variety of stories throughout the year reflecting the First Nations communities they serve. Topics included:
Rogers Media Inc. Page 31 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
North Bay
• Lake Nipissing First Nations Summit, Métis Career Sessions, the Sisters in Spirit Walk and the First Nations Idle No More movement. In addition, we reported on the Urban Aboriginal Task Force Study documenting the strengths and contributions of urban Aboriginal populations in North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins.
Timmins
• Flooding in Kashechewan, the new school in Attawapistkat and construction of the new Timmins Native Friendship Centre.
Sudbury
• A petition started by two Laurentian University students to help improve the education system for Aboriginal youth, negotiations with local First Nations communities regarding the development of the Cliffs Natural resources chromite processing plant and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund’s investment in a multi-purpose centre on Wahnapitae First Nations.
Sault Ste Marie
• First Nations’ concerns regarding education provisions in the Federal Budget, the Ontario Coalition of Aboriginal People meeting in Sault Ste Marie, the Sault Tribe election and the Sault Tribe participating in the native delegation meeting with President Barack Obama.
Kitchener
570News is committed to covering stories that reflect all cultural groups including ones that are under represented. 570News has broadcast several stories in the past year which highlight diversity. Some of these include:
• World Refugee Day honoring the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to flee their homeland under threat of persecution, conflict and violence. 570News interview Fauzia Mazhar, from the Community Coalition on Refugee and Immigrant Concerns;
• Interview with Sam Kimera, leader of the Watoto Children's Choir in Kitchener to discuss a free performance by the choir and promoting the choir’s role as ambassador for Watoto, a holistic care program for African children who have been orphaned due to war, disease and poverty;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 32 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• We also broadcast a number of stories about the different cultural groups represented at the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Festival which took place at Kitchener's Victoria Park; and
• 570News also interviewed Ludia Harrison of the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre to discuss her reaction to the Statistics Canada census report showing the region’s multicultural fabric becoming more diverse.
As well both the Jeff Allan Show and the Gary Doyle Show have hosted a number of community leaders to discuss issues of the day including: Jennifer Urosevic of the Canadian National Institute For The Blind regarding the dangers of roundabouts; Habib Battah, a Beirut-based journalist, filmmaker and media analyst who discussed how the media has influenced the Arab uprising; and Malcolm (Mac) Saulis, Professor of Social Work at Wilfred Laurier University, specializing in Native Social Work, regarding Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence’s hunger strike.
Toronto
CHFI-FM broadcast Think Pink, a three-hour special edition of the Erin and Mike Morning Show and fundraising event dedicated to breast cancer survivors and victims of domestic violence. Guests included many survivors who discussed their experiences.
In 2012 News680 aired hundreds of noteworthy stories with respect to diversity. Below are but a few examples:
• The federally appointed panel’s report recommending the creation of a Commission to oversee the First Nations’ education system;
• The Ontario Human Rights Tribunal’s review of the racial make up of the Peel District School Board further to a complaint by a Vice Principal claiming that her race and culture prevented her from being promoted to Principal;
• Review of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s training manual to include information regarding culturally sensitive situations; and
Rogers Media Inc. Page 33 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• The City of Markham’s attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the longest Chinese Dancing Dragon at 5.3 kilometres with assistance from more than 3,000 volunteers.
Sportsnet Radio the FAN 590 was a sponsor of the 2012 Conn Smythe Dinner in support of Easter Seals, and broadcast live interviews on Prime Time Sports with Bob McCown from the event.
Maritimes
Our News/Talk stations News 88.9 Saint John, News 95.7 Halifax and News 91.9 aired a number of noteworthy interviews and segments relevant to diverse communities including the following:
• Every February we discuss African-Nova Scotian history and culture with regular guests on our morning talk shows in celebration of Black History Month. We also regularly include topics that expand on the region’s past;
• News 95.7 devoted much time during the past year to Pride Week in order to promote more transgender, gay, and lesbian awareness as well as the importance of Pride day/week. Issues discussed include the reason for Pride day/week, the history of marginalization, and the importance of both societal and self acceptance. Ed Savage, the Pride co-chair was interviewed;
• In July 2012 News 95.7 Halifax helped provided coverage and celebrated the opening of the Africville Church and Museum built in the black communities in the north end of Halifax;
• Coverage of the bi-annual new Canadians immigration ceremony swearing in new Canadians at Pier 21 in Halifax; and
• Nova Scotia Community College and Irving Shipbuilding announced funds to boost diversity in trades, encouraging women, First Nations, African-Nova Scotians and persons with disabilities in shipbuilding careers.
Collaborative Efforts
Rogers’ multiple divisions do not work in silos. We seek collaboration from internal and external partners in order to reach the largest possible audience for our programming. In 2012 Rogers collaborated on the following:
• As part of our corporate mission Rogers believes in giving back to the communities we serve. In light of this objective, Rogers is involved in the revitalization of the multicultural community of Regent Park in Toronto and supports many local initiatives to create a greater sense of community in this
Rogers Media Inc. Page 34 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
evolving neighbourhood. One of these initiatives is the Regent Park Film Festival; Toronto’s only free-of-charge community film festival, dedicated to showcasing local and international independent works relevant to multicultural residents of Regent Park, the largest and oldest public housing project in Canada. This year the festival took place in its new home built as part of the re-development of the community. OMNI, City Toronto and Rogers teamed up to support this festival by promoting the event on-air and online through community billboards and provided event coverage;
• Rogers radio proudly supports the Canadian Women’s Foundation each year with a month-long national fundraising and awareness campaign dedicated to ending violence against women on 96.9 Jack FM Vancouver, News 1130 Vancouver, Lite 96 Calgary, 91.7 The Bounce Edmonton, Clear FM Winnipeg, and 98.1 CHFI-FM Toronto. This campaign culminates with a full day Shelter from the Storm Radiothon produced in Toronto and broadcast across Canada. City stations across the country also participate in promoting and featuring the event during our Breakfast Television morning shows. Over $1.5 million dollars is raised for the Canadian Women’s Foundation supporting women’s shelters in each community represented;
• OMNI Ontario and City Toronto partnered with Skills for Change to present the New Pioneer Awards. Skills for Change honours well-known Canadian immigrants who have made a change in Canada. Both stations have collaborated on these awards ceremonies for several years by providing pre- event exposure through coverage of press conferences, station-produced promotional spots, inclusion in online and on-air Community Calendars and newsletter mentions;
• OMNI Ontario and City Toronto provided promotional support for the Thunderbird Concert. This concert, held at Yonge Dundas Square for the first time, explored Aboriginal culture through music;
• OMNI and Sportsnet worked together to provide special coverage of the London Olympics. The opening ceremony and many events throughout the games were broadcast in Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi and Italian;
• City, OMNI and World FM Edmonton co-produced the 2012 World Wonder singing competition. This event was hosted by World FM featuring ten finalists performing in their language of choice before a live audience at the Heritage Amphitheatre during the Edmonton Heritage Festival. Prize money was awarded to the winner for the development of professional recorded material. These three stations also co-produced World Stage, a series of in-
Rogers Media Inc. Page 35 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
studio sessions with international musical artists performing before a live audience for both radio and television; and
• On December 31, 2012, City produced and broadcast the New Year’s Eve Bash live from Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto followed by a live broadcast from Olympic Plaza in Calgary. This four-hour event broadcast by local City stations across the country, was co-hosted in Toronto by Tracy Moore and featured performances by a number of Canadian and international artists from diverse backgrounds namely: Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black, Karl Wolf and Massari. City was indeed everywhere from the streets of Toronto and Calgary through social media across the country.
News audio file sharing network
The Rogers radio news group has implemented a file sharing software program that allows each newsroom to have access to stories produced by other newsrooms. As a result, each of the radio news groups at each of our all-news stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Kitchener, Calgary, Halifax, Moncton and Saint John is aware of the stories.
In addition, each day OMNI Toronto sends out an email notification to 680News outlining key stories being covered. This allows 680News to cover a wider range of stories and issues impacting various communities in Toronto and deliver them to a broader audience.
As well, News1130 closely follows and reports on current events and issues relevant to the multicultural communities of Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Through shared contact lists with OMNI Vancouver, a fostered relationship with community leaders and a detailed reporter/file system, News1130 is able to interview organizers and stakeholders in more than a dozen ethnic communities.
5. ACCESSIBILITY
Rogers Media recognizes that television is a primary source of news, entertainment, and sports programming for many Canadians. Therefore, it is important for us to make our programming accessible to persons with disabilities so they can be included in this everyday medium. In 2012, 100% of English- language programming broadcast on our City and OMNI stations and specialty services was captioned.
We also provide described video programming for people with visual impairments. In the 2012 broadcast year each City station broadcast well over 375 hours of described programming and each of our OMNI stations broadcast over 175 hours. As well, our stations provided audio description of key elements
Rogers Media Inc. Page 36 2012 Annual Report on Diversity during newscasts, which is the voice over of text and graphics that appear on the screen.
6. INTERNSHIPS, MENTORING AND SCHOLARSHIPS
Rogers Media has established a number of on-going internship, mentoring and scholarship programs designed to promote diversity in the workplace. A few examples are as follows:
OMNI
• OMNI Ontario funded the John Webb Graham Q.C. Rogers Multicultural Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually and provides four-year tuition to three first-year students in the School of Radio and Television Arts at Ryerson University. Applicants are from multicultural, multilingual backgrounds with the ability to converse in a second language;
• Established in 2010, the OMNI BC Award for Broadcast Journalism recognizes the first-year achievements of British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Broadcast and Online Journalism students. It provides support for up-and-coming journalists from diverse backgrounds who show an aptitude in the field, and helps to train future generations of BC broadcast journalists;
• OMNI Calgary has offered mentorships and internships to immigrants who have educational or working experience in journalism or broadcasting. OMNI management selects and invites candidates for mentoring and provides employment opportunities to those who demonstrate skill and passion for the industry; and
• OMNI Calgary also works with Calgary Regional Immigrant Employment Council to help mentor immigrants who have a background in journalism and communications.
City
• Breakfast Television Edmonton has an on-going internship program with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Interns are hired for a four-month period. In 2012, the program hosted three members from diverse groups.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 37 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Radio
Vancouver
• News1130 has engaged BCIT in three-week industry rotations where journalism students have an opportunity to work in the newsroom under the supervision of editors and managers. Under this program, several students from under-represented groups have been hired as web editors, traffic reporters as well as announcers.
Calgary
• 660News offers a scholarship program through the Radio-Television News Directors Foundation. The 660 News Diversity Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 is awarded annually to a student enrolled in any year of a qualified broadcasting journalism program, who submits a story or series which best explores the issue of diversity.
Edmonton
• World FM offers the following internship programs:
o United Nations Association Media Internship – This 12-week program provides insight into all aspect of a commercial radio station, including production, promotions and marketing and is awarded to post-secondary students who are members of one of the designated groups;
o Humber College Professional Internship – By special arrangement for an Edmonton-based student attending Humber College, this 16-week program included a professional evaluation during the program and was awarded to a visible minority with a high level of appreciation of ethnocultural nuances and sensibilities; and
o High School Volunteer Internship – This is an on-going program awarded to a member of a multicultural group with a background in the arts or electronic media.
London
• BOB FM was instrumental in promoting Brescia’s Breakfast for Bursaries, a program that provides young woman with financial support to attend university. As well, BOB FM awarded the Native Community School on the Oneida Reserve with seven guitars for their music program and chose one of its students to participate in an internship program at the station.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 38 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Toronto
• The Toronto stations have an internship program with a goal of ensuring that a minimum of 30% of the interns are from diverse backgrounds. In 2012 680News hosted 42 interns. This program has led to the recruitment of several talented broadcasters. Our interns broadcast on-air, gather audio from the field, write broadcast copy stories, attend news conferences and become part of the 680News team. In particular, the 680News Internship Program is designed as follows:
o 680News has four intern sessions per year (winter, spring, summer, fall);
o Our 24-hour newsroom can accommodate up to 12 students per session;
o Students are required to perform a minimum of two shifts (or 14 hours per week). However, we can make special accommodations for students needing an intensive five-day program if required by their educational institutions;
o 680News accepts students from a variety of colleges and universities including: Seneca, Humber, Centennial, Durham, Sheridan, Fanshawe, Ryerson, York, University of Toronto and University of King’s College;
o Our interns represent varied and diverse cultural backgrounds and include students with disabilities;
o Students get hands-on experience from all departments of our newsroom with our eight scheduled “Hot Weeks” (audio, reporters, editors, anchors, traffic, sports, business, website);
o Students who show exemplary skills are promoted to the 680News Mentorship Program where they experience one-on-one mentoring with seasoned staff members; and
o Eleven staff members currently participate in this program and include entertainment reporter Gloria Martin, morning reporter Jaime Pulfer, afternoon business reporter Richard Southern, morning co-host Marlane Oliver, CHFI-FM news reporter Mary Ellen Beninger and sports reporter Peter Gross.
Many of the interns who have been hired in the past have progressed to key positions at 680News, including Momin Qureshi, Sladjana Tamindzic, Millicent Angeles, Corey D’Souza, Eva Fragiskatos, Patrick Luciani, Matthew Padanyi, Jackie Rosen, Mathew Scigliano, Sasha Siniak, Neetu Seupersadsingh and Michelle Zadikian.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 39 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Maritimes
• In 2009 the Rogers Radio Entrance Scholarship was established at Nova Scotia Community College. A $1,000 Scholarship is awarded annually and is open to all African Nova Scotian and First Nations students entered in the Radio and Television Arts program at the Dartmouth Waterfront Campus of Nova Scotia Community College.
7. COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY OUTREACH
At Rogers our dedication to being the best at what we do goes beyond meeting business targets. We’re committed to connecting with – and making a lasting impact on – communities from coast to coast. In support of this dedication in 2012 we created the Rogers Employee Volunteer Program to encourage employee volunteer activities which serve the communities where we live and work. As part of this program employees are invited to take some time off work and use it towards a volunteer experience, either with an organization affiliated with our own Rogers Youth Fund, or with another registered charity of their choice.
In light of this initiative it is only appropriate that we then honour the employees who embody our commitment to corporate citizenship on a local level by bringing their passion for excellence to their communities. The Community Involvement Award was created to recognize employees for their exceptional volunteer service, and for their outstanding contributions to the communities in which they live and work.
OMNI
OMNI is proudly mandated to support Canada’s growing diversity and invests a great deal of time and energy building and nurturing relationships with grassroots ethnic organizations.
We maintain relationships with the communities we serve – relationships that are based on trust, respect, co-operation and a detailed knowledge of their social and cultural practices. We have roundtable discussions and meet regularly with representatives of these communities and solicit feedback from community leaders, organizations and members of the public. In some instances we set up focus groups to help determine which programs will be right for our local markets.
Throughout the year the OMNI BC team has regular roundtable meetings with members of the communities we serve in order to determine how our station can
Rogers Media Inc. Page 40 2012 Annual Report on Diversity provide the best programming to suit their needs and to solicit feedback about existing programming and community reflection. Our Community Liaison Representative met with over 40 local producers and community leaders. For example, in 2012 OMNI BC met with the members of the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation to get their feedback on our partnership throughout the year and their input on how to better reflect the communities we serve. In addition, OMNI BC held an open house “Meet the TV Stations Night” in November where OMNI viewers, as well as City and Sportsnet viewers, could visit our studios. It was an opportunity to let viewers experience live and taped segments of OMNI News along with tours of the broadcast control rooms and the Breakfast Television and Sportsnet sets. This event helped us better connect with our viewers and the communities we serve. Currently, OMNI BC is actively seeking out community leaders, business owners and regular viewers to create focus groups in order to get their feedback on the Chinese and Punjabi newscasts.
OMNI Ontario opens its doors to many groups. In particular, OMNI once again participated in Doors Open Toronto. Over 5,000 people representing the diversity of Toronto walked through OMNI’s doors giving the general public a peak into the workings of a television station.
Both OMNI Calgary and Edmonton have established partnerships with local governments, community organizations, immigrant serving agencies and organizations promoting multiculturalism and anti-racism. We also collaborated with local ethnic media to promote diversity. In 2012 OMNI Alberta met with a number of representatives in their communities to continue to build relationships and discuss OMNI’s support for local community events. These groups/associations included the following: Edmonton Immigrant Services Association, Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, Azerbaijani Cultural Association of Alberta, Chinese Benevolent Association, Council of India Societies, Hindu Society of Alberta, Calgary Japanese Community Association, Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, Islamic Supreme Council of Canada as well as the Vietnamese Canadian Friendship Centre. In addition, for the fourth consecutive year, OMNI Edmonton was a media partner for the Servus Heritage Festival, the largest annual multicultural festival in Canada, with hundreds of thousands of visitors.
At OMNI Ontario, roundtable discussions and editorial board meetings are held in partnership with the Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) on the first Thursday of every month. These meetings present an opportunity for producers and journalists to freely access key figures in both the public and private sectors and community organizations. Guest speakers in 2012 included:
Rogers Media Inc. Page 41 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• The Honourable Jim Bradley, MPP, St. Catharines, Minister of the Environment; • John Stager, Assistant Deputy Minister, Drinking Water Management Division and Ontario’s Chief Drinking Water Inspector; • Peter Hall, Vice-President and Chief Economist Export Development Canada; • David Bednar, General Manager, Canadian National Exhibition; • Marie Chapman, Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21; • Rahul K. Bhardwaj, President and Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Community Foundation; and • The Honorable Jean Augustine, PC, CM Ontario Fairness Commissioner.
All of our OMNI stations actively pursue sponsorships and event opportunities that reflect OMNI’s diversity mandate. We are deeply involved in the diverse ethnic communities we serve. Our Community Liaison Representatives are responsible for keeping track of all community events and community sponsorships. We support our communities through sponsorships, PSAs, on-air and online promotions, event coverage and by providing emcees for their events. OMNI supports hundreds of organizations which are categorized in three groups: ethnic associations, immigration services organizations and multicultural associations.
As well, each OMNI station produces Community Calendars, a one-minute interstitial with a focus on promoting and covering multicultural events. This Community Calendar, both on-air and online, together with our daily news reporting and diversity programming captures festivals and initiatives in the local ethnic communities we serve and further enhances each station’s multicultural palette.
The following provides a sampling of just a few of the activities and events supported and promoted by our stations in 2012:
OMNI BC
• International Village Tinseltown Chinese New Year Celebration – This annual event attracts nearly 150,000 attendees over 3 days with a variety of different vendors and performers fostering multiculturalism and promoting harmony among different ethnic groups in our community;
• ITM Model Search – This is Vancouver’s largest top model search with 20 models from diverse backgrounds training, competing and showcasing their talent while promoting cultural exchange between Canada and China;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 42 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• Indian Summer – The second annual Indian Summer Festival brings the best of India to Vancouver, in celebration of the official “Year of India in Canada.” This festival of arts and ideas showcases top contemporary and classical Indian talent in music, dance, literature, film, yoga and cuisine – pairing some of India’s internationally renowned artists and performers with local Vancouver counterparts;
• World Partnership Walk – The Aga Khan Foundation holds this annual fundraiser in support of Smart Solutions, a program that raises funds and awareness to help fight global poverty. This walk takes place in 10 cities across Canada;
• S.U.C.C.E.S.S. – This non-profit charitable organization is one of the largest immigration and social service agencies in BC, with a mandate to promote the well being of Canadians and immigrants and encourage their involvement in the community. Services include settlement programs for families, seniors, women and youth, language training and employment, health and wellness education. Fundraising events include:
o Walk with the Dragon – The largest community-based fundraising event with more than 15,000 participants; and
o Gala Concert dinner banquet for 1,000 people followed by a variety show featuring top Asian pop stars and singers with an audience of over 13,000 – the largest Chinese concert in North America;
• The Nations Cup Multicultural Soccer Tournament (33rd Annual) – Recognized by players and spectators alike as Western Canada’s foremost amateur men's and women's soccer tournament, this unique soccer event groups players based on their ethnic backgrounds and countries of origin to create an exciting “World Cup” type atmosphere; and
• Vaisakhi Parade – Vaisakhi, also known as the Harvest Festival is one of the most important days of the year for the South Asian community. Over 80,000 spectators attended the parades in Surrey and in Vancouver.
OMNI Calgary
• Asian Heritage Month Celebrations – Hosted by the Asian Heritage Foundation, celebrations included bus tours to various Asian community associations, film series and cultural galas. Our Community Liaison Officer Brian Wong and an on-air host, Jenny Yu, emceed the finale. Approximately 450 attended. OMNI has partnered with the Asian Heritage Foundation and provided extensive promotional support since the station launched in 2008;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 43 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• Jashan Bahngra Competition – Organized by the Alberta Punjabi Council for Arts and Education, Jashan is defined as the coming together of people with the purpose of celebrating. It celebrates the vibrancy of Punjabi arts and culture. OMNI and City were the exclusive media sponsors. OMNI Calgary provided support through extended coverage during the South Asian News, Punjabi News and Community Calendar;
• Multicultural Night – Co-hosted by the Southern Alberta Heritage Language Association and India Canada Association, OMNI was the exclusive media partner of the gala night. More than 1,000 attended at the Jack Singer Concert Hall with OMNI’s South Asian news reporter, Abbas Somji, co- hosting the evening;
• Afrikadey Festival – A celebration of African art and culture hosted by Afrikadey Arts and Culture Society. OMNI Calgary promoted various events (including concerts, opening and closing galas, film series and music workshops) through the OMNI Community Calendar, event listing online and through our newscasts. On-air host Jenny Yu emceed the opening gala; and
• Alberta Culture Days – Alberta Culture Days began in 2008 as Alberta Arts Day, a one-day event to recognize the value of Alberta's arts and cultural communities. Since then, it has expanded into a vibrant, three-day, province- wide celebration that has inspired the creation of Culture Days; a pan- Canadian movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities. OMNI Calgary provided extensive promotional and editorial support. In addition to regular promotions, we featured a number of stories about the event in our newly launched weekend show Culture Avenue.
OMNI Edmonton
• India Republic Day – Council of India Societies of Edmonton organizes India Republic Day every February with a series of cultural performances at one of the largest theatres in Alberta, the Jubilee Auditorium. Over 300 volunteers, artists, dance groups, and organizations join forces to celebrate India and to assemble a day of outstanding performances;
• Caribbean Festival – The Caribbean culture is celebrated at the annual Cariwest Festival. Downtown Edmonton explodes every second weekend of August with spectacular costumes, vibrant Caribbean musical rhythms, street theatre and enticing cuisine. The celebration is completed with the Friday night extravaganza and costume judging, the Cariwest Parade through downtown on Saturday, and the cultural fair in Churchill Square on Sunday; Rogers Media Inc. Page 44 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• Heritage Days – Servus Heritage Festival 2012 marked the 38th annual showcase of Canada’s vibrant multicultural heritage. The festival featured 60 pavilions representing over 85 cultures from all over the world. The Heritage Festival is characterized by culinary delicacies, creative performances, crafts, artwork and clothing;
• East Meets West Festival – This festival is a celebration of two cultures living side by side in the city of Edmonton. For two days, the neighborhoods of Chinatown and Little Italy are closed and the streets are filled with arts, culture, entertainment and food specific to Chinese and Italian cultures; and
• In addition to formal sponsorships, OMNI Edmonton provided promotional support to numerous events and projects that advocate diversity and cross- cultural understanding, including the International Mother Language Day, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the Family Day Multicultural Show.
OMNI Ontario
• Toronto Chinese Film Festival – In 2012 OMNI was the exclusive television partner of this inaugural film festival. Held during the Chinese New Year in Richmond Hill, the festival attracted film buffs from the Chinese communities in and around the Toronto area. This festival also presented films by students in the York University Film Study program;
• Dragon Ball – OMNI was the exclusive television sponsor of the Dragon Ball. This annual gala is the major fundraiser for Yee Hong Gereatric Centres, home to many seniors in the Chinese, South Asian and Asian communities. OMNI provided coverage of press conferences and the event itself;
• Punjabi Community Health Services – International Women’s Day – OMNI supported this important conversation with the Punjabi community as it relates to International Women’s Day. In a panel discussion, issues unique to the Punjabi community were tabled and debated. OMNI News South Asian Edition lead anchor Angie Seth was the moderator;
• Association of Chinese Canadian Entrepreneurs Awards – OMNI once again was the exclusive sponsor of the annual recognition of successful entrepreneurs in the Chinese business community. OMNI provided airtime to drive nominations, broadcast interviews with event organizers and promoted the event through our on-air and online Community Calendar. OMNI also covered the event and produced and broadcast a one-hour special;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 45 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• BrazilFEST – OMNI was the exclusive television partner of this annual summer festival. BrazilFEST offers cultural expression through entertainment and food to festival attendees. OMNI covered the event and broadcast pre- event interviews during newscasts;
• Vision Awards – OMNI supported these annual awards honoring Hispanic Business Leaders in Toronto who have achieved excellence. OMNI provided pre-awards exposure and awards coverage; and
• Rally for Vita – OMNI provided on-air exposure for this fundraiser dedicated to raising funds to retrofit vehicles for persons with disabilities. OMNI promoted the event on-air and online in Community Calendars and newsletters. OMNI also hosted the event and provided event coverage.
City
City actively pursues sponsorships and event opportunities that reflect our diverse audiences. City also has many diverse community sponsorships that have been in place for many years. These legacy projects tap into the fundamental fabric of these communities and we take pride in our role supporting the communities we serve. Host appearances play a large part in our diversity sponsorships. Integrating Breakfast Television hosts into diverse events is a very important part of developing our relationships with pillars in the community. Community Calendars support hundreds of events per year and diverse and multicultural events are often showcased. A few noteworthy examples from 2012 include:
City Vancouver
• City Vancouver’s Community Liaison Representatives met with individuals from various cultural organizations and the station provided promotional support for the following: DiverseCity 10th Annual Multicultural Festival, Shellina Lakhdhir World Partnership Walk, Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival, Multicultural Soccer Tournament, Chinese and Western Meals on Wheels, Mexico Festival, South Asian Film Festival and the Vancouver Women in Film Festival;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 46 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• Breakfast Television hosts Jody Vance and Riaz Meghji attended the Aga Khan Foundation World Partnership Walk which is a non-profit international agency that supports social development programs in Asia and Africa and holds a walk every year in support of Smart Solutions, a program that raises funds and awareness to help fight global poverty;
• Breakfast Television’s Dawn Chubai, OMNI’s Bowen Zhang and Karen So were celebrity servers at the annual ASIA Celebrity Dim Sum Fundraiser. Celebrities were paired, waited on guests and hosted tables for the brunch. Proceeds from the event were used to raise ASIA’s mission of promoting the health of Asian communities by decreasing the impact of HIV/AIDS; and
• City also produces a Community Calendar featuring events in and around Vancouver. In 2012 some of the organizations and events included in our Community Calendar that reflect diversity were:
o Chinatown Festival;
o ITM Model Search;
o International Village Chinese New Year Celebration;
o Nations Cup Multicultural Soccer Tournament;
o Dragonboat Festival;
o Portuguese Heritage Month; and
o European Festival.
City Calgary
• Sien Lok Society of Calgary Annual Chinese New Year Banquet – This annual Chinese New Year Banquet is an event that showcases Chinese traditions and culture to advance and promote Chinese Canadian heritage as well as raise funds for community projects. City is a media sponsor for this yearly banquet and provides a Breakfast Television personality to emcee the event;
• Hong Kong Business Association Chinese New Year Banquet – Each year the Hong Kong Canadian Business Association of Calgary hosts a Chinese New Year Gala with over 500 guests from the business community. City is a Gold Media sponsor;
• Young Women of Influence and Women of Influence Luncheon Series – The Women of Influence Organization produces inspiring, informative and
Rogers Media Inc. Page 47 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
celebratory events designed to advance and connect women in business. City is the exclusive television sponsor of these events;
• Hispanic Arts Festival: Expo Latino – This festival celebrates Latino culture featuring live music and exotic food. Breakfast Television broadcast remotely from the event and City produced and broadcast promotional messages; and
• Afrikadey! – A celebration of African art and culture including artwork, dance performances, multi ethnic food kiosks, and top-notch musical entertainment. City produced and broadcast promotional messages.
City Edmonton
• Dreamspeakers Festival Society – This festival provides a venue for Dreamtalkers and offers a unique exploration into Aboriginal cultures from all parts of the globe. The Dreamspeakers Festival Society supports and educates the public about Aboriginal culture, art and heritage. City sponsored this festival;
• Global Visions Film Festival – This festival is Canada’s longest running documentary film festival and is dedicated to presenting socially relevant films from around the world exploring issues of cultural, social, economic and environmental development. City sponsored this festival;
• Intercultural Dialogue Institute of Edmonton – The institute’s mission is to promote cross-cultural awareness in order to attain peace and diversity with our neighbors and help establish a better society through friendship dinners and international excursions for members. City promoted a number of the institute’s events; and
• Dragon Boat Festival – This festival promotes Dragon Boat racing and its multicultural celebration in the City of Edmonton. City sponsored this festival.
City Toronto
• Reel World Film Festival – City produced and provided airtime for the awareness campaign leading up to this annual film festival featuring content for, by and about visible minorities in Canada and around the world. City also provided $15,000 in funding as the founding partner and covered the festival. City’s Melanie Ng emceed the launch;
Rogers Media Inc. Page 48 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
• Inspire Awards – The goal of these awards is to “inspire” the LGBTQ community and bring it together by celebrating its past and present heroes who work to build the community. The organization recognized City’s reflection of Toronto in all its diversity and partnered to present the 2012 Inspire Awards;
• CHIN Picnic – For over 30 years the CHIN Picnic has reflected the diversity of Toronto during the Canada Day long weekend with entertainment, food and cultural expressions from the many ethnic communities in the Greater Toronto Area. City has been the exclusive media partner for CHIN for many years and continues to provide extended exposure through City on-air personality involvement, coverage and other initiatives including a segment on Breakfast Television;
• IrieFest Mississauga and Toronto – City and OMNI supported IrieFest; a celebration of the diversity of the Caribbean community through music. Both stations provided pre-event exposure and event coverage;
• Harbourfront Centre Weekend Multicultural Celebrations – City and OMNI once again partnered with the Harbourfront Centre’s to promote its multicultural entertainment throughout the summer weekends. City and OMNI provided online and on-air exposure. Events include the Tigran Festival, Calypso Festival, Island Soul, Classical Festival and Fortune Cooking Festival;
• Girls on the Run Ontario – Girls on the Run Ontario is a positive youth development program that combines training for a non-competitive five kilometre run/walk with an interactive curriculum to develop self-respect and a healthy lifestyles for girls between 8 and 13 years of age. Tracy Moore, Host of City’s CityLine, partnered with this organization to help bring Girls on the Run to a larger audience; and
• University Health Network Diwali Gala – City came to the table to support OMNI’s sponsorship of the annual gala. In 2012 funds were raised for the diabetes centre. Diabetes is very prevalent in the South Asian community and therefore this fundraiser was very important to both health caregivers and South Asian communities. City’s Francis D’Souza emceed the event and provided event coverage.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 49 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Radio
Rogers radio is involved in countless community initiatives that touch on diversity in all markets across Canada. For example our North Bay stations often host representatives from various Aboriginal groups or other culturally diverse organizations on air to promote their events. They also work closely with the Union of Ontario Indians whose provincial offices are located in North Bay. 2012 allowed our North Bay stations to continue building strong relationships with culturally diverse groups, particularly with the Métis community through greater interaction with the Ontario Métis Federation and the National Council. Furthermore, 100.5 EZ Rock hosts the largest fundraiser in the city for the Nipissing Association of Disabled Youth raising over $90,000 annually.
The following provides a sampling of just a few of the activities and events supported by our stations in 2012 through sponsorships, on-air promotion and online support that celebrate diversity within the community:
Vancouver
• Rock for Dimes – This annual Battle of the Bands fundraiser was held to raise funds for Vancouver families living with disabilities. Jack FM was the media sponsor;
• Richmond Night Market and the Summer Night Market – These two markets, located in a predominantly Chinese community, are modelled after the night markets in Hong Kong. Both Jack FM and SONiC provided on-air and online promotional support with live broadcasts from these community events; and
• Our Vancouver stations also provided on-air and online promotional support for a number of multicultural events including the South Asian Film Festival, Chinatown Street Festival and World Partnership Walk, Canada's largest annual event dedicated to raising funds and increasing awareness to fight global poverty.
Chilliwack and Abbotsford
• Our Chilliwack and Abbotsford stations provided promotional support during “What’s Going On” and “Community Outlook” segments and on each station’s website for the following events:
o Sto:lo First Nations – Star 98.3 has an ongoing relationship with our local Sto:lo First Nations and promotes several community events throughout the year. This year we promoted their Career Fair, Cultural Experience
Rogers Media Inc. Page 50 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Series and the 2nd Annual Sto:lo Nation Annual Gathering, among other events;
o South Asian Film Festival Society – The first Annual South Asian Film Festival;
o Abbotsford Special Adventurers – Annual fundraising spaghetti dinner for the Abbotsford Special Adventurers, a non-profit community recreation program for persons with disabilities;
o Abbotsford Community Services – The 2012 Cultural Diversity Awards; and
o Soowahlie First Nations – Star 98.3 promoted their summer “Live at the Gazebo” concert and entertainment series featuring First Nations performers.
Medicine Hat
• Rock 105.3 provided promotional support for the following associations and/or events:
o REDI Enterprises – REDI is a local organization providing assistance to people with disabilities to find employment opportunities, housing, education and a variety of other community services. Rock 105.3 aired PSAs supporting a number of their programs and initiatives;
o Miywasin Society of Aboriginal Services – Rock 105.3 promoted the Miywasin Society Cultural Open House; and
o Generations - The Métis of Medicine Hat cultural celebration.
Grand Prairie
• Kev's Kids was started June 3, 2002 by our morning announcer Kevin Albers, when a need was identified by members of our community to provide support for , “kids who fall between the cracks" in obtaining much needed help that was not addressed by any other agencies or health care services. Over the years Kev’s Kids have supplied equipment for disabled children such as: a tracking system for a sling lift, reclining bath chairs, a sports wheelchair, a therapy swing, wheelchair ramps and tie downs and riding lessons with Peace Area Riding for the Disabled Society.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 51 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Kitchener-Waterloo
• Christa Hicks, Promotions Director is a member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest Rogers Women of the Year Committee which recognizes and pays tribute to outstanding women in the community in the following categories: Arts and Culture, Community Service, Health and Wellness, Entrepreneurism, Lifetime Achievement, Sports and Recreation and Young Adult;
• Our Kitchener-Waterloo stations also provided on-air promotional support for the following events:
o Kitchener Girls’ Hockey Day – The theme of the day is every girl, same place, same day. Girls ranging from six to 26 and with widely different skill levels come together in a celebration of Kitchener Girls’ Hockey;
o The Caribbean Canadian Association of Waterloo Region (CCAWR) Fundraising Concert for Black History Month – CCAWR presented The Generation of Gospel: A Testament of Time at the Grandview Baptist Church raising funds for the Caribbean Canadian Association;
o Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener-Waterloo: "A Day of Dialogue with Muslim Women" – This event provides a unique opportunity to sit down and share a one-to-one conversation with Muslim women from diverse backgrounds;
o World Partnership Walk – The World Partnership Walk is Canada’s largest annual event dedicated to increasing awareness and raising funds to fight global poverty; an initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada;
o Multicultural Festival – Every summer the community celebrates ethnic diversity through the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Festival. This family event celebrates a variety of international foods, entertainment and specially planned cultural events; and
o Tapestry Festival – The Tapestry Festival is a month-long festival of music, dance, food, art, storytelling and images from the region and around the world - celebrating our community's great diversity.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 52 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
London
• Native Harvest Festival – Our promotions team met with two local tribe leaders to facilitate our involvement in the Pow Wow portion of the celebration as well as the native beading craft show. We broadcast PSAs supporting this event, as well as in support of the local Aboriginal school and their various endeavours;
• WheelChair Relay – BOB FM’s morning team participates annually in this event during which our two morning show co-hosts complete in an obstacle course around the city in wheelchairs for an entire morning. We also emceed the event and broadcast promotional PSAs;
• AfroFest, SunFest, Festa Italia, AfroGrannies – BOB FM hosts these annual breakfast events and broadcasts promotional PSAs. We also post photos and videos of these events on our website;
• Merrymount Children’s Centre – This centre provides necessary support to children with mental and physical disabilities. Our station broadcast a series of promotional PSAs and worked with their management team to raise the centre’s profile; and
• Golden Opportunity Assistance Dogs – We produced a PSA campaign for this seeing eye dog training facility in London.
Toronto
• Sportsnet 590 The Fan hosted an on-air charity auction in March to raise funds for Reach for the Rainbow, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to integrating children and youth with disabilities into mainstream society. Support included online event listings, on-air promotions and morning show features;
• The Fan 590 sponsored, promoted and broadcast live interviews from the Conn Smythe Dinner for Easter Seals dedicated to helping children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities achieve their full potential and future independence; and
• Our Toronto stations supported a number of groups and associations through on-air and online Community Calendars including the following: International Day of the Girl, Power of Women, Caribbean Grand Parade, People in Motion, Wheelchair Relay Challenge, Canadian Women Foundation and the Community Association for Riding for the Disabled.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 53 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Ottawa and Smiths Falls
• Women of Influence Speaker Series – In 1994 Women of Influence Inc. created The Women of Influence program to provide women with a forum to share their experiences and gain support and inspiration from each other. KISS FM and Y101 FM work together to sponsor this Women’s Speaker Series through on-air and online PSAs;
• Women’s Fair Carlton Place – This fair features health and wellness seminars and supports the Lanark County Interval House for abused women. Y101 FM provided promotional support;
• Power Play for Easter Seals – This one-day four-on-four ball hockey tournament is held at the Perth Canadian Tire Store with teams from Cornwall, Perth, Smith Falls, Ottawa and Carlton Place competing to raise funds for Easter Seals. JACK FM has been the media sponsor since it was created over 10 year ago. Our team emceed and reported live from the event;
• Smith Falls Local Immigration Partnership Conference – This conference was created by the Local Immigration Partnership Council to coordinate and enhance the integration of new immigrants into the community. Consultations took place with newcomers, employers and service providers. JACK FM broadcast promotional PSAs promoting the conference and provided audio equipment for the event; and
• Our local stations also produced and broadcast PSAs for the following organizations and events:
o St. Joe’s Women’s Centre Fashion Show;
o Paint Canada Pink; and
o Breast Cancer Action. Community Recognition
Rogers is proud of the many talented teams of professionals who contribute to the success of our stations. These contributions have received public recognition, accolades and awards. The following are a few of the awards Rogers’ team has received for its contributions to the diversity in 2012:
• On November 1, 2012 OMNI News BC Mandarin Edition received the Jack Webster Excellence in Journalism Award for Heroes of Chinatown, a feature story that profiled a Chinese soccer team from the 1930’s and tracked the
Rogers Media Inc. Page 54 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
team members who went on to become successful entrepreneurs, academics, business professionals and community leaders in BC;
• The OMNI Funded documentary Brooks - The City of 100 Hellos won three awards:
o Best Educational Film at the 2012 Alaska International Film Awards;
o New Comer – Award of Excellence at the International Film Festivals for Peace, Inspiration, and Equality in Jakarta; and
o The 2012 Golden Palm Award for a documentary film at the Mexico International Film Festival.
• The OMNI documentary Guilty Until Proven Innocent providing insight on the issue of media portrayals of Arab Muslims in Canada won the Canadian Ethnic Media Association Award for Journalsitic Excellence;
• Reporter Sudha Krishnan won a Canadian Medical Association award for Excellence in Multicultural Health Reporting for coverage on diabetes a leading killer in the South Asian community;
• Reporter Angie Seth won the Diamond Jubilee Medal for her work as a journalist and in recognition of her involvement in the South Asian community; and
• National Vice President of OMNI, Madeline Ziniak won the Diamond Jubilee award for her contribution to the evolution of ethnic print and electronic media.
Audience feedback in relation to diversity
Our television and radio stations provide multiple touch points for viewer feedback on all aspects of our programming, including diversity issues:
• Viewers and listeners are provided with various opportunities (e.g. toll-free talkback phone lines, email links from station websites, etc.) to comment on our programming;
• Our OMNI stations have more formalized consultative procedures to solicit feedback from our audiences. For example, we conduct regular meetings with different ethnocultural groups to get feedback from the community concerning our ethnic programming. In 2012 we consulted the Canadian Race Relations
Rogers Media Inc. Page 55 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Foundation, Canadian Ethnocultural Council, Yee Hong Foundation and Canadian Ethnic Media Association; and
• Employees whose functions include Audience Relations or Community Relations are often responsible for reviewing specific comments about the programming on any of our stations. They often consult with station managers or other counsel (i.e. Legal or Regulatory), depending on the issues involved. Specific CRTC or Canadian Broadcast Standards Council complaints are handled by the Regulatory department.
On a broader, more consultative basis, station managers and senior programming staff are also involved with more general programming concerns or complaints. The feedback received is used to update our programming in areas of concern or deficiency. However, it is also used to develop diversity initiatives to further examine and communicate issues that reflect Canada’s multicultural reality.
At the local level a number of our stations obtain feedback through online viewer participation that is open to all members of the public. Through this forum, viewers can express their opinions and comments which are reviewed by station management and staff. We launched this initiative to encourage viewers of Breakfast Television to engage with our stations. An on-air marketing campaign was produced and aired to alert viewers to this new initiative.
As well, our radio stations have received feedback from listeners who are touched by some of our stories. For example, CHFI Toronto has received calls, during and after our Shelter from the Storm Radiothon to stop violence against woman, to let us know that the program gave them the strength they needed to leave their own abusive relationship. We have also heard from friends and family members of abuse victims advising that we provided the knowledge they needed to help their loved ones leave an abusive situation.
Initiatives to promote diversity in the broadcast industry as a whole
Rogers Media is also involved at the corporate level in several activities that promote diversity within the broadcast industry as a whole. These include the following:
Rogers Media Inc. Page 56 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council (CBSC)
Rogers Media has funded the CBSC’s Ethnocultural Outreach and Positive Portrayal Initiative, whose objective is to increase public awareness of broadcast standards and ensure the widest possible contact with our increasingly multilingual society.
The CBSC has developed an outreach database and has translated its expanded brochure and parts of its website, through funding from Rogers, into more third languages for citizens whose language of comfort is neither English nor French. CBSC information is now available in over 40 languages.
Strategic Alliance of Broadcasters for Aboriginal Reflection (SABAR)
SABAR is a vehicle for promoting and increasing the contribution and reflection of Aboriginal Peoples within the Canadian broadcast industry. The main objective is to facilitate opportunities for increased Aboriginal participation by:
• Increasing Aboriginal participation within the broadcasting industry through active recruitment and retention measures;
• Increasing the perspective and reflection of Aboriginal Peoples in Canadian programming;
• Heightening awareness of broadcasting as a career choice among Aboriginal youth;
• Identifying and addressing barriers in the recruitment, retention and advancement of Aboriginal Peoples in the broadcast industry;
• Partnering with Aboriginal organizations, e.g. access points, mentorships, scholarships, internships, programs;
• Focusing on building relationships with stakeholders (target audiences); and
• Raising awareness of and providing guidance to address gaps in the current Aboriginal broadcast curriculum.
Rogers Media continues to serve as an active member of SABAR, as Human Resources Director, Colin Simpson is the Secretary of the Board of Directors. With input from our Aboriginal partners a scholarship has been developed to meet specific needs of the Aboriginal communities. As such, these scholarships are not just dedicated towards tuition, but also cover student housing, transportation and any other costs associated with attending an educational institution.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 57 2012 Annual Report on Diversity
Our involvement in SABAR has expanded our network of contacts in the Aboriginal community which has helped foster new partnerships.
8. OBJECTIVES FOR 2013
Rogers Media will continue to develop and expand on the diversity programs and initiatives implemented in 2012. We will also continue to offer balanced and fair coverage of events and issues that impact diverse communities.
The goal for 2013 is to further develop the diversity of content offered on our stations. Discussions during story meetings continue to yield a positive response from news staff at our City stations and our audiences. Moreover, the connectivity between our OMNI and City stations as well as our radio stations has provided a unique opportunity to expose our viewers and listeners to new and different stories about issues from a unique perspective. As a result we will continue to expand on this connectivity. Furthermore, some of our stations have developed separate sections on their websites to promote diversity issues and we will continue to expand our internship programs across the country with a focus on students from the diverse groups.
CONCLUSION
In this report we have outlined our accomplishments for 2012 with respect to diversity in all aspects of our television and radio operations including employment practices, programming and community outreach initiatives. Rogers Media remains fully committed to principles of diversity and looks forward to building on our outstanding track record for 2013 and beyond.
Rogers Media Inc. Page 58 2012 Annual Report on Diversity